Launching today in beta across a selection of popular titles, Steam Trading Cards are collectibles Steam users gather while playing their favorite games, with sets tradable for game badges, profile backgrounds, emoticons, coupons, and more. As if hunting for achievements wasn't enough.

They're a means of rewarding players for playing the games they love, while tormeting those of us easily susceptible to the collector mindset. Starting today, players of Don't Starve, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Portal 2 and Half-Life 2 will start earning trading cards, with the service expanding to more titles in the coming months.

Want to know how it works? I don't. If I did, I'd risk getting drawn into the latest in a lifelong series of card hunts that have left my psyche a shattered ruin. You can find out more about Steam Trading Cards here.